Background Checks On Gun Sales

12:36 pm

Fri October 4, 2013

I-594 Signatures to be Turned in Next Week

The secretary of state's office says that advocates seeking to expand the use of background checks on gun sales plan to submit their petition signatures for an initiative to the Legislature next week.

David Ammons, a spokesman for Secretary of State Kim Wyman, said Friday that supporters of Initiative 594 have made an appointment to turn in their signatures at 9 a.m. Wednesday, nearly three months before the Jan. 3 deadline.

The plan would require background checks for online sales and private transactions, such as those that occur at gun shows. The checks would be conducted at federally licensed firearm dealers, where people already must undergo such scrutiny before purchasing a new weapon.

An initiative to the Legislature requires at least 246,372 valid signatures of registered state voters to be certified, though the secretary of state's office suggests at least 320,000 as a buffer for any duplicate or invalid signatures.